Keeping it Together
by EskimoLander22
Summary: Follow Ainslie Russel and her family as the world collapses around them and watch Ainslie try to keep it all together. Rating subject to change.


The city wasn't its normal self. Ainslie stepped across her living room floor her coffee in hand. For the past few weeks it seemed as though everyone had gone crazy. Hospital reports from all over North America of a mysterious new disease had been blasted on the news for days now. Ainslie's boss was so nervous that he closed the shop early and sent everyone home. Not that she was going to complain, getting a freebie day sounded just fine by her. Flopping down on the couch never felt quite so good, at least not in recent memory. Resting her feet up on the table Ainslie began flipping through the channels looking for something good. Her finger stopped when she got onto the news channel.

The news reporter stood in front of a local hospital. Behind him alarms were blaring and lights flashing as a huge assortment of police and firemen ran in. Her mind told her to change the channel, but she couldn't quite make it to the button. One of the police officers was approaching the man. Ainslie was on the edge of her seat, hoping for some answers. Something about him wasn't right though.

The officer was dragging his feet awkwardly and there was blood all over his uniform,

"What the hell..." Ainslie leaned in close.

His sleeve was all torn up and the flesh underneath didn't look much better. After a quick look behind him the reporter start running away from the officer. He didn't get far though before tripping over the camera's tri-pod. His fall was quickly followed by the sound of screaming and tearing flesh.

Within seconds Ainslie was dialing her phone.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up," She whispered in quick succession.

The answering machine started before the message even ended the line went dead,

"Shit."

Not a moment after Ainslie had grabbed her jacket and a bag, throwing in everything that fit. Tossing it on her shoulder she crammed her feet into her some boots and rushed outside, car keys in hand. The normally quiet cul-de-sac had gone all but mad.

Most people had the same idea as Ainslie, screaming and running to their cars. After getting safe inside her car she took a moment to look around. For a moment she thought she was going to be sick. A few bodies were laying on the ground. Taking a few moments to collect herself Ainslie saw something she thought impossible, one of them got up and came right at her headlights. Gripping the steering wheel hard she put the pedal to the floor and went right over him. The roads were just as nuts. Every law seemed to be thrown out the window and Ainslie was quick to follow suit.

Running every light in town she headed straight for the hospital, although everyone else seemed to be going the complete opposite way. Once there she couldn't believe her eyes. Patients, doctors, officers all just shuffling around. A lot of them looked like they shouldn't even be alive let alone able to move. It took everything in her to not scream when she finally saw the officer from the news cast making a meal of that reporter.

"Fuck. I gotta get Harley!"

Ainslie pulled a quick u-turn and sped to the suburbs.

It took less than half the usual time to get to her sister's house. The whole street looked unreal. Cars were stalled and wrecked on the sides of the road. People at all levels of being mangled were working their way around. Some of the houses had their doors wide open and lights left on in an obvious rush. The most important one though looked closed up and dark. Leaving the car going, Ainslie made a beeline to the front door.

Banging hard on the wood, a scared woman's cry could just barely be heard on the other side. Ainslie's mind flooded with relief as she recognised her little sister

"Open up, it's me!"

Immediately the shufflers all seemed turn her way. Panicked she hit the door harder

"Dammit Noah, let me in!"

A man's voice shouted back at her, "No fucking way!"

The shufflers were getting closer and seemingly faster by the second. Not knowing what else to do Ainslie started slamming into the door when she heard the muffled sound of Harley shouting.

"Let. Me. In!" Ainslie screamed desperately.

Just as a shuffler came up on the porch Ainslie fell through the doorway and was quickly dragged the rest of the way in. Sitting on the floor of her sister's house Ainslie rubbed at her now sore shoulder,

"Fuck Noah, y'almost got me killed out there!"

Dodging the angry looks from both ladies,

Noah barked back "Like hell I knew it was you!"

To which Harley just hushed them both as she quickly went back to soothing her toddler son.

Ainslie took a seat next to her, "Any idea what's happening out there?"


End file.
